Chimayo Press

We are Chimayo Press, an independent educational publishing company based in Los Angeles. Since 2005, we’ve been committed to publishing niche books that create compelling conversations, deepen relationships, and celebrate the human spirit.

Compelling Conversations: Questions & Quotations on Timeless Topicsis in use by English Language Learners in over 50 countries. Originally designed for community college students (ages 18-87!), the fluency-focused English textbook has been adopted by American adult schools, international high schools, English language schools, online tutors, and intensive English language programs, university ESL programs, and conversation clubs.

Our newest title, Compelling American Conversations: Questions and Quotations for Intermediate American English language Learners (2012) explicitly emphasizes American English, American cultural literacy, and democratic values.

The primary audience remains newcomers to the United States, recent and not-so-recent immigrants, who may be studying at an American high school, adult school, community college, or university. The authors strongly believe that all immigrants deserve a quality education that allows them to express themselves, develop their English language skills, and deepen their critical thinking skills. A narrow, life-skills only language program can sometimes reinforce the tyranny of low-expectations. From our perspective, too many language programs too often teach students to mostly listen and seldom speak – and often underestimate the academic and professional abilities of many American immigrants.

Therefore, we deliberately chose to emphasize speaking skills and fluency in the Compelling Conversations series.

Two sets of partner interview questions on each topic

Discussion activities to explore, explain, and clarify

Search and share online activities where students select materials on specific topics, summarize and evaluate the video/article, and introduce to small groups of classmates. (American and Vietnamese versions)

We also include academic vocabulary and more philosophical questions because American immigrants deserve the same level of sophisticated materials which international English as Foreign Language (EFL) students enjoy in the stronger international high schools.

Focused vocabulary for both practical and academic purposes

Paraphrasing American proverbs – and others from around the world

“Agree/Disagree and explain” reaction exercises to classic and modern quotations often used to prepare for TOEFL and IELTS exams

From our perspective, there is something profoundly disturbing in dumbing down of curriculum materials for English language learners in the United States. Chimayo Press and the Compelling Conversations series seek to introduce higher expectations for verbal skills and more authentic materials and topics to the intermediate and advanced English language classrooms – especially in ELL and ESL classrooms here in the United States. Students should be able to not only listen and understand, but speak and be understood.

Further, the authors hope American English language learners begin asking more questions, speak more in their workplaces, and create their own compelling conversations – outside the ESL and EFL classrooms. We also believe that actually speaking English – and being able to hold meaningful conversations in English – adds to the quality of life across globe.

We also want to help bring people together, across the globe, to share quality conversations in English, the lingua franca of our time.Compelling Conversations: Questions & Quotations for Advanced Vietnamese English Language Learners (2011) provides culturally relevant exercises, text and photos from that beautiful nation. This special EFL title, adopted by American Vietnam University and APU International Schools for their advanced English students, was inspired by Eric’s directing a summer high school English program in 2009. Chimayo Press hopes to release additional ESL and EFL books, including specialized editions of Compelling Conversations for Japan, Israel, and Business Professionals in the future.

Chimayo Press

1-855-ESL-Book (toll free in the United States and Canada)

1-855-375-2665 (toll free in the United States and Canada)

1-310-904-6998

Are You an Experienced English Language Trainer?

Have you taught English abroad for three years or more? Do you have an exciting idea for an ESL/ EFL book? If so, please send an email to Eric@CompellingConversations.com with a brief description and we will get in touch with you.